Mechanical and electrical means for stimulating sales of merchandise



Feb. 19, 1957 c. E. STONEBURNER 2,731,949

MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR STIMULATING SALES OF MERCHANDISE 3 Sheets-Sheet 1 Filed Feb. 21, 1956 w a v A R8 w Mi m N 2 1 N2 0 u W5 T IE A N m w s B an Y s E L 2 A u C Feb. 19, 1957 c. E. STONEBURNER 2,731,949

MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR STIMULATING SALES OF MERCHANDISE Filed Feb. 21, 1956 5 She ets-Sheet 2 R H m N T N a ma c V U T ms T E A N o v T S a V. S L E A H c n- UT n Feb. 19, 1957 c. E. STONEBURNER 2,781,949

MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR STIMULATING SALES OF MERCHANDISE Filed Feb. 21, 1956 3 Sheets-Sheet I5 INVENTOR.

CHARLES E- STONEBUENEE A T RN E Y MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL MEANS FOR STIMULATING SALES F MERCHANDISE Charles Edward Stoneburner, Arlington, Va.

Application February 21, 1956, Serial No. 566,894

Claims. (Cl. 222-27) This invent-ion relates to a mechanical and electrical means for stimulating sales of merchandise and it consists in the constructions, arrangements and combinations herein described and claimed.

It is an important object of the invention to provide an apparatus which may be installed upon vending, cash registers and similar machines to display a visual signal as well as energize an audible signal, to indicate a certain operation of the machine, which operation entitles that particular customer to a reward in the form of a discount in his purchases.

More specifically, it is an object of the invention to provide an electrical means in the form of a plurality of rotatable brake-controlled drums, said drums including peripheral electrical contacts adapted to engage contacts associated with a visual signal and an audible signal in the event that either of the drums should stop in a position to permit engagement between the contacts.

Additional objects, advantages and features of invention will be apparent from the following description, considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein:

Figure l is a fragmentary perspective view of a gasoline pump having my invention installed thereon.

Figure 2 is an enlarged cross sectional view taken on the line 22 of Figure 1.

Figure 3 is a cross section taken on the line 33 of Figure 2.

Figure 4 is an enlarged cross section on the line 4-4 of Figure 3. t

Figure 5 is an enlarged vertical section of one of the contact drums and contact assembly taken on the line 55 of Figure 4, and

Figure 6 illustrates the wiring diagram employed in the apparatus.

Attention is first invited to Figure 1 of the drawings illustrating one installation of the invention, namely upon a gasoline dispensing pump generally indicated by the reference character 10, which includes a motor control switch 11 and dispensing hose and nozzle 12. As is well understood, when the nozzle 12. rests upon the switch lever 11, the pump is inoperative and upon removal of the nozzle, the switch lever rises in an upward direction to close the circuit to a motor for pumping the gasoline.

Suitably mounted on the pump, here shown as on the top thereof, there is a housing13 for enclosing the operating mechanism, as will presently be described.

The housing may be of any suitable construction, but

I preferably will include a cover 14' permitting access within the housing for adjustment and repair of parts, when found necessary. A smaller'housing 15 is secured upon the cover 14 having compartments for enclosing a signal light 16 and a buzzer or bell 17, the lights being visible through the windows 15'.

Extending longitudinally of the housing 13 there are a pair of shafts 18 and 19. The shaft 18 is fixed in a pair nited States Patent 0 2,781,949 Patented Feb. 19, 1957 of upright bearings 20, while the shaft 19 is oseillatable in a pair of upright bearings 21, the bearings being of the same height so that the shafts are supported at the same horizontal level. A drive shaft 22 is disposed medially of the housing and is likewise supported in upright bearings 23 corresponding to bearings 20 and 21 so that all shafts are at the same vertical height. An electric motor 24 is coupled to the shaft 22 as at 22' to effect rotation thereof, as will be explained hereinafter.

In the present instance, I have shown four control units 25, 26, 27 and 28 for energizing the lamps 16 and the bell 17 and as the units are identical in construction, the unit 25 will be here described, reference being made to Figures 2 and 3. A bracket 29 is secured to the shaft 18 as shown, said bracket including hinged upper and lower leaves 30, each leaf being secured to upper and lower brake bands 31 and 32.

The brake bands 31 and 32 are each formed with medial semi-circular portions 33 arranged in opposed relation and adapted to embrace a contact drum 34 freely rotatable on the shaft 22, the drum being maintained centered with the semi-circular portions by means of spacer collars 35 (see Figure 4). The brake bands have integral extensions 36 of a length extending beyond and above and below the shaft 19.

A cam 37 is keyed to the shaft 19 positioned between said extensions 36. The outer ends of the extensions are formed with a pair of aligned openings through which a bolt 38 is extended for mounting of respective helical springs 39 above and below the extensions 36, said springs maintaining contact with the cam 37, as well as normally holding the drum against rotation.

Within the semi-circular portion of the brake bands 31 and 32, a brake shoe 40 is secured to more effectively hold the drum against rotation.

Reference is now made to Figures 4 and 5 of the drawings for an understanding of the construction of the circuit maker and breaker for energizing the lamps 16 and bell 17.

The drum 34 includes a bearing assembly 41 permitting free rotation of the drum at times, the drum being formed of insulating material and at diametrically opposite sides the drum is formed with an outwardly tapering slot 42 for receiving a respective correspondingly shaped contact 43 and 43', it being noted that these slots are positioned upon opposite sides of the drum, as clearly shown in Figure 4.

A mounting and reinforcing plate 44 is welded or otherwise secured to the outer face of the brake band 31. The brake band lining 40, the brake band 31 and the plate 44 having four openings suitably insulated by means of a bushing 45. A contact housing 46 is secured to the reinforcing plate 44 formed with four vertical bores 47 aligned with the respective bushings 45 and each bore houses a helical contact spring 48, the upper end of which is electrically connected to a contact 49 which in turn is connected to respective binding posts 50, 51, 52 and 53. It will be noted that the spring contacts 48 are arranged in pairs, transversely of the drum, one pair of contacts 48 being engageable with the contact 43 upon one side of the drum, while the other pair of contacts 48 are operative with the contact 43 upon the other side of the drum.

Any suitable linkage 54 maybe employed for actuating the control units 25 to 28 and in the present in-' engaged with an oscillatable switch 56 which may be sup-' ported upon a pedestal 57, the switch controlling the current to the motor 24, as will be explained.

The signal lights 16 may represent certain services which the station attendant will perform and in the event that either of the lights are energized, as for instance, the first light, this may represent a wash job; the second light a lubrication job; the third light an extra gallon of gas; the fourth light a weeks free parking; the fifth light, the tuning up of the motor of the vehicle; and in the event that the buzzer sounds, which only occurs when all control units 25 to 28 are energized, all lights will be illuminated simultaneously with the sounding of the buzzer which would mean that this particular customer would receive all of the services indicated.

The operation of the device is substantially as follows:

When the station operator removes the nozzle and hose 12 from the switch lever 11, the motor of the dispensing pump is energized to pump gasoline and simultaneously with the movement of the lever 11, the leverage 54 oscillates the crank 55 imparting movement to the shaft 19 and the cam members 37 associated with each control unit thereby releasing the brake bands 31 and 32. Also, upon oscillation of the shaft 19, the switch 56 will have been operated to close the circuit to the motor 24 thereby causing the shaft 22 to rotate, thus imparting rotation to the drums 34, and while these drums are loose upon the shaft, there is sufficient friction to cause rotation of the drums and at different speeds. When the nozzle is returned to rest upon the lever 11, the pump motor stops, as does the motor 24 and due to movement of the linkage 54 and crank 55, the shaft 19 and associated cams 37 return to normal position to secure the brakes and retain the drums against rotation.

As shown in Figures 2, 4 and 6, the drum of the first control unit 25 came to rest with the contact 43 in electrical engagement with the contacts 48 causing current to flow through the wires 53 and 59 from the source of current 60 and lighting the lamp 16 indicating that the customer is entitled to an award.

It will be noted from the diagram shown in Figure 6, that the contacts 48 and wires 61 when energized by engaging contact 43 of all drums, controls the sounding of the buzzer 17.

While I have shown and described a preferred form of the device, this i s by way of illustration, and I consider as my own all such modifications in construction, as fairly fall within the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a mechanical and electrical means for stimulating sales of merchandise and the like, comprising a vending or similar machine having a moving part for the operation thereof, a housing on said machine, a plurality of drums mounted on a shaft within the housing, means for holding said drums against rotation, lever means between said moving part of the machine for releasing said drums, means for rotating said shaft, said drums being freely rotatable under rotation of said shaft, spaced contacts on said drums, signal means within the housing including an electrical circuit and contacts adapted to engage contacts on said drums and means Within the housing for stopping rotation of said drums upon return movement of said lever means and said moving part of said machine.

2. In a mechanical and electrical means for stimulating the sale of merchandise and the like comprising a vending or similar machine having :a moving part for the operation thereof, a housing on said machine, a motor driven shaft rotatably mounted within said housing, a plurality of freely rotatable drums on said shaft, brake means for holding said drums against rotation, lever means between said moving part of the machine for releasing said brake means permitting free rotation of said drums, spaced contacts on said drums, signal means within the housing including an electrical circuit and contacts adapted to engage contacts on said drums at times.

3. In a mechanical and electrical means for stimulat ing the sale of merchandise comprising a vending or similar machine having a moving part for the operation thereof, lever means connected with said moving part, a housing on said machine, a motor driven shaft rotatably mounted within the housing, an oscillatable shaft within the housing parallel to the rotatable shaft, :1 plurality of drums mounted on the rotatable shaft, upper and lower brake bands partly encompassing each drum, said brake bands being hingedly mounted at one end, the other ends of said bands extending above and below said oscillatable shaft, cam members on the oscillatable shaft disposed between the last named ends of the brake bands, spring means for urging said ends into contacting engagement with said cams, an oscillatable switch in circuit with the motor of the driven shaft, said switch being operable under movement of said oscillatable shaft, the oscillatable shaft being actuated under movements of the moving part of said machine to release said brake bands permitting free rotation of said drums, spaced perip'heral contacts on said drums, signal means within the housing including an electrical circuit and a plurality of contacts positioned to engage contacts on said drum in the event of stoppage of any of the drums to align said contacts and thereby energize said signal means.

4. In a mechanical and electrical means for stimulat ing sale of merchandise or service in a gasoline station comprising in combination, a gasoline dispensing pump having a movable lever for control of the motor of the dispensing pump, a housing on the pump, a motor driven shaft rotatably mounted in the housing, an oscillatable shaft within the housing parallel to the rotatable shaft, a plurality of drums mounted on the rotatable shaft, upper and lower brake bands encompassing each drum, said brake bands bein g hingedly mounted at one end, the other ends of said brake bands extending above and below said oscillatable shaft, cam members on the oscillatable shaft, a cam being disposed between the last named ends of the brake bands, spring means urging said ends into contacting engagement with said cams, an oscillatable switch in circuit with the motor of the driven shaft, said switch being operable under movement of said oscillatable shaft, the oscillatable shaft being connected to the movable lever of said dispensing pump to oscillate said shaft and release said brake bands permitting free rotation of said drums, spaced peripheral electrical contacts on said drums, signal means within the housing including an electrical circuit and a plurality of contacts in circuit with said signal means positioned to engage con tacts on said drums in the event of stoppage of any of the drums to align said contacts and thereby energize said signal means.

5. The structure of claim 4, in which the signal means includes lights and an audible signal and wherein stoppage of the drums so as to energize one contact of all drums, all lights will be energized as well as said audible signal.

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS 583,081 Pratt May 25, 1897 883,886 Huffman Apr. 7, 1908 2,022,445 Vogel et a1. Nov. 26, 1935 2,213,278 Hazard Sept. 3, 1940 2,256,782 Pappert Sept. 23, 1941 2,267,599 Brad-t Dec. 23, 1941 2,361,977 Stair Nov. 7, 1944 2,364,939 Benjamin Dec. 12, 1944 2,617,323 Bowlus Nov. 11, 1952 2,679,398 Jameson May 25, 1954 

